NATO released its official “Overarching Space Policy” on January 17, asserting its freedom to expand its boundaries in any direction it desires. Space is “increasingly important” for the security of NATO, and others could use space to project power and/or interfere with the space assets of members. Space threats are to be included under its Article 5, NATO’s mutual-defense clause. Previously, NATO had already initiated a space center, part of the Ramstein, Germany, air command. Now it appears that bold strategists have figured out that geo-political doctrines are not to be limited by the ‘geo', Earth. (https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/official_texts_190862.htm)
Last week, as reported by EurAsian Times, the chairman of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation Wu Yansheng announced plans for more than 40 launches in 2022, along with 6 manned missions: “We need to fully complete various aerospace tasks, ensure the complete success of major flight test missions and accelerate the development of China as a space power.” China has launched 152 satellites in the last five years, so this is not a major escalation. The 2011 Wolf legislation—an amendment to the Federal spending bill, prohibiting U.S. collaboration with China in space projects—has resulted not in weakening China, but forcing the country to forge a broader range of skills. The Tiangong space station is scheduled to be in place before the end of 2022.
